diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index 6c313c4087ed..ed7c008b9c8b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -511,6 +511,7 @@ int parse_events_add_cache(struct list_head *list, int *idx,
 static void tracepoint_error(struct parse_events_error *e, int err,
 			     const char *sys, const char *name)
 {
+	const char *str;
 	char help[BUFSIZ];
 
 	if (!e)
@@ -524,18 +525,18 @@ static void tracepoint_error(struct parse_events_error *e, int err,
 
 	switch (err) {
 	case EACCES:
-		e->str = strdup("can't access trace events");
+		str = "can't access trace events";
 		break;
 	case ENOENT:
-		e->str = strdup("unknown tracepoint");
+		str = "unknown tracepoint";
 		break;
 	default:
-		e->str = strdup("failed to add tracepoint");
+		str = "failed to add tracepoint";
 		break;
 	}
 
 	tracing_path__strerror_open_tp(err, help, sizeof(help), sys, name);
-	e->help = strdup(help);
+	parse_events__handle_error(e, 0, strdup(str), strdup(help));
 }
 
 static int add_tracepoint(struct list_head *list, int *idx,